Injustice on Marathwada in getting rightful water from Krishna valley

Aurangabad, July 22:

In order for Marathwada to get 28.66 billion cubic feet (BCF) of water from the Krishna river basin, the people's representatives in the department need to put pressure on the government. The Krishna valley development corporation Pune division has planned to take 63 BCF of extra water and there is a possibility of further injustice in getting the water to Marathwada.

Marathwada division is further divided into three river basins that includes Godavari basin 89 per cent, Krishna basin 8.5 per cent and Tapi basin 2.5 per cent. Nearly 300 BCF water from the 1025 BCF is reserved for Marathwada. However, only 719 TMC water is reserved for the 5,830 sq km area in Beed, Osmanabad area in Marathwada from the Krishna project. Adjacent to the Krishna valley, there are Manjra and Terna basins, a tributary in the Godavari basin. It covers Beed, Osmanabad and Latur districts. As per the report of Dr Chitale commission, 43 BCF water is required to be kept in excess in the two river basins. But no decision is taken in this regard. The division is facing discrimination by the Pune department for getting its rightful water, alleged former member of the Marathwada Statutory Development Board and water expert Shankarrao Nagre.

Need to build pressure on government

According to water expert Nagre, a decision was taken at a cabinet meeting held in Aurangabad in 2005 regarding water in the Krishna Valley. In 2009, it was decided that an additional 14.66 billion cubic feet of water would be required from the Krishna valley project for three sub-irrigation schemes in Beed, Osmanabad district of Marathwada. These three schemes have limited to use only 7 BCF of water consumption instead of 23.66 BCF. Besides, there is a need for the public representatives to put pressure on the government to get the 14 BCF of water given by the Polavaram project from Godavari valley to Krishna valley in Latur and other areas to Marathwada.